Let me start off by saying this: I still think a great film adaptation of a Dr. Seuss book is yet to be made. Unless you count the classic animated shorts from the 60s onwards (particularly Chuck Jones's unforgettable animated version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"), it would be amazing to see a visionary filmmaker that has a lot in common with the author's originality, creativity, and whimsy. Say, Wes Anderson or Spike Jonze, whose film adaptations of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox and Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are (both released in 2009) were terrific and poignant, respectively. Not to mention artistically and thematically impressive.
That being said, I'm happy to say that my less-than-anticipated perspective on the latest version of The Grinch (courtesy Illumination, the animation powerhouse that turned supervillain-turned-superdad Gru and his ever-popular Minions into a billion-dollar franchise) has changed. After all, Theodore "Seuss" Geisel's books haven't had the best track record in being brought to the screen by Hollywood standards, to say the least.
The 2000 live-action version of the green-furred curmudgeon, starring Jim Carrey, was described by one critic as a "basterdization" of the classic story. And understandably so, in retrospect. Although it wasn't without its merits, including its fantastic production design, and Oscar-winning makeup by Rick Baker. 2003's live-action The Cat In the Hat starred Mike Myers. And while visually Seussian on the surface, the movie became an infamous abomination that gave the miscivious feline's creator a bad name. (Really? Images of potty humor and alcohol, plus near-swearing and tasteless gags, in a film based on a book that made reading fun for children?!?) After seeing this version and disapproving, Seuss's widow Audrey Geisel went on record by saying that no more live-action films would be made based on her late husband's work.
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| Jim Carrey in How the Grinch Stole Christmas |
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| Mike Myers in The Cat In the Hat |
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| Jim Carrey in Horton Hears a Who! |
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| Danny Devito in The Lorax |
She did, however, approve of a feature-length CGI version of Horton Hears A Who (2008), made by Blue Sky Animation (the studio behind the Ice Age franchise) and released by 20th Century Fox. This movie was a more respectable adaptation, and arguably proved that computer animation (and animation in general) was the best medium for bringing these stories and characters to life. It also began a working relationship between Geisel and Fox Animation producer Chris Meledandri, who left the studio that same year to form his own animation company, Illumination (with Universal Pictures distributing its films). Two years later, Despicable Me was released, and that film's success spawned two sequels, a spinoff prequel about the Minions, a theme park attraction at Universal Studios, and other original films about pets and singing animals (The Secret Life of Pets and Sing, both released in 2016), and, of course, Dr. Seuss characters. Speaking of which, The Lorax (2012) was another visual showcase, though a middling and reworked story that gave the Once-ler a face, threw in musical numbers, and had an environmental message that may have been pushed a little too hard.
Nevertheless, the working relationship and trust with Seuss's properties continues with the newest adaptation of The Grinch, which remains a studio-produced film, to be sure. It's wonderfully animated. It has a terrific voice cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular "Mean One," as well as Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams (who narrates). And it continues Illumination's reputation as a first-rate independent studio that has set itself apart from other animation houses (including Pixar, DreamWorks and Disney), by specializing in a creative and fun culture, and also unique and endearing character-driven stories, that audiences around the world, of any age, can appreciate.
Storywise, instead of expanding the Grinch's background like they did in the live-action version (which added some unnecessary supporting characters, including a love interest, and an exaggerated vibe that recalled John Huston's 80s film version of Annie), this adaptation restrains certain character elements that give enough of an idea of why the green miser chooses to "steal Christmas" from the Whos of Who-ville, without overwhelming the audience. It also pays homage to the original Chuck Jones cartoon by including the Whoville songs in verse and in Danny Elfman's wonderful, magical score, and by portraying the Whos as they were in that cartoon and not as superficial consumers. (Here, subtlety is key.) Purists may balk at the way the film modernizes or changes the story, including the addition of such characters as a reindeer named Fred, or the inclusion of modern music by Williams and Tyler the Creator. Some critics may argue about a few minor character holes as well.
But if I've learned anything from movies adapted from books over the years, it's that, while they may take liberties with their respective literary counterparts, as long as the author's vision and the story's center drives everything, it's alright. For what it's worth, the characters in this version (compared with the live-action movie, and with the other Seuss-related movies) aren't overly exaggerated, over the top, or pointless (e.g., Cindy Lou Who is portrayed as a little girl with a single mom and two brothers, and with a Christmas wish that has nothing to do with gifts or the like). In those respects, I'm happy with how Illumination handled bringing The Grinch to new, animated, and endearing life.
Author Stephen King once said, "Movies and books are apples and oranges. They're both 'delicious,' but they don't taste the same." And while The Grinch is more of a holiday treat as opposed to mere poetic produce (at least on the surface), it stands as one of those rare cases where a children's book works on its own as a feature film, yet still retains the visual and visceral charm and warmth that the original source material gave it. This may be the first time in years I've experienced such a movie, the last being probably Sony Animation's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009), and counting Disney's unforgettable animated version of The Jungle Book (1967). While it's far from a great movie, The Grinch just may be the best feature-length version of a Dr. Seuss book to date. It's certainly the most endearing.
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